Loot and the Making of British India (War and Society in South Asia)

Loot and the Making of British India unveils the intricate and often contentious role of military looting and prize practices in shaping British imperial expansion on the Indian subcontinent. From the eighteenth century onward, the British army developed a unique system that transformed plundered property into 'booty' and redefined it as prize money, distributed under royal prerogative. This study explores how these practices incentivized soldiering, constrained unregulated plunder and fuelled tensions between officers, soldiers and colonial authorities. Through detailed case studies, including the Banda and Kirwee affair, the book examines the legal, political and social conflicts surrounding prize distribution, revealing how these disputes reflected broader struggles over imperial sovereignty and military discipline. By situating looting and prize within the broader context of empire building, the book offers fresh insights into the dynamics of colonial warfare, the professionalisation of the British army and the transformation of martial customs in India and beyond. This groundbreaking work is essential for scholars and researchers interested in British imperial history, modern South Asian history—especially the colonial period—and military history.